Electric switch



April 7, 1925. 1,532,855

I C. E. ANDERSON Q ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Dec. 22 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I:Tl 7 k T 29 F 2. k 8 78 INVENTOR Cam. Ema fil/vzusms 01/ ATTORNEYSApril 7, 1925.

C. E. AN DERSON ELECTRIC swncn 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 22

I ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 7, 1925..

vUNITED STATES CARL ERIC ANDERSON, OF STRATFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNORTO THE BRYANT PATENT orrice. j

ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF BRIDGE-PORT, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CON-ELECTRIC SWITCH.

Application filed December 22, 1921. Serial No. 524,215.

To all whom it may concern:

7 Be it known that I, CARL ERIC ANDERSON, a citizen of the United Statesof America, residing at Stratford, in'the county of Fair field and Stateof Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inElectric Switches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to electric switch, and particularly to snapswitches of the type commonly used in control lighting circuits. Amongthe objects of my invention may be noted, first, the provision of anarrow and shallow structure,.of high current-breaking capacity, welladapted for workmanlike installation in locations where a deep bodiedswitch cannot be well used, for example in thin partition walls, inmoldings, etc; second, a reduction in manufacturing costs by the use offew parts, readily struck and formed up from sheet metal, the assemblyof the switch mechanism being readily performed byhand and beingselfsustained in assembled condition; third,t-he

' provision of not only an effective snap action for the moving parts ofthe switch, but also positive initiation of the throw of the switchblades to open-circuit position; fourth, various features of novelty andimprovement in details of construction, asse1nbly and operationhereinafter described or shown in the accompanying illustrativedrawings, in which Fig. 1 is a broken plan view of a switch in which myinvention is embodied in one 2 is a section on the line 2-2,

yoke.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, I have embodied it in aflush wall switch, but it will be understood that many of the featuresare applicable to switches of other types, and that the invention is notlimited to an installation of the particular type shown. The cup-shapedinsulating body 10 of the flush switch is supported in a receptacle (notshown) by a bridge piece 11 extending beyond the opposite ends of theswitch body and secured to the latter by screws 12 taking into tappedholes 13 in the bridge. Adjacent the latter are holes 14: tapped toreceive the screws 15 by which the face plate 16 is mounted in the usualfashion.

At the four corners of the switch body are binding screw terminals 17,18, 19 and 20 arranged on depressed ledges and having wings extendinginto the switch chamber to form switch contacts. 'The arrangement ofthese contacts may be as desired to effect any preferred currentdistribution. As shown, there are two high and two low contacts 21"and22, respectively. The contact wings 21 and 22 ofthe terminals are offsetsubstantially at right angles to the terminal plates, and from themargins of the latter adjacent the side walls of the switch chamber. Thewings lie in planes parallel to said'side walls, and the free ends whichform the contacts proper, which are engaged by the cooperating switchblades, are inwardly offset in pairs into alignment longitudinally ofthe switch. The

wings of the high contacts 21 rise from the terminal plates and assistin boxing-in stray beards from the wires secured beneath the bindingscrews. The wings of the low contacts pass downward in channels 23formed by shoulders 24 spaced slightly'from the side walls of the switchchamber. The free ends of the low contacts are angled over the shoulders24 and supported thereon. minals 18 and 19 at one end of the switchare'united by a. cross strap 25 let into the base of the receptacle andelectrically connected, as well as mechanically secured in position bythe screw'bolts 26 and 27 which secure the terminals upon the base. Theswitch is thus a double-bladed singlepole switch having three branchconnections. The'switch may be wired, however,

and used as a double-pole switch, in which case the strap 25 wouldbeomitted. It,

In the construction shown the termay also'be used as a single-pole,singlebladed switch by omitting certain of the switch contacts.

lVithin the body chamber 28, the switch 29, preferably integral with thesupporting bridge 11. In order to locate the plate 29 substantially inthe longitudinal mid plane of the switch chamber, and also in the midplane of th b idge itself. the latter is notched at 30. Theswitch-operating lever comprises legs 31 which straddle the frame plateand embrace it sufliciently closely to prevent any objectionable crossplay of the lever thereon. At its outer end the lever carries a thumbpiece 32 having wings 33 which serve to obturate the hole in the coverplate through which it passes, and thus to prevent the entry of ,dustand dirt theretllrough into the switch chamber. Notches '34 in the upperedge of the plate 29 accommodate the wings 33 of the thumb piece in theextreme angular positions of the lever.

The lever pivots on a pin 35 which passes freely through registeringholes 36, pierced respectively in the frame plate and legs 31 ofthlever.- At the inner ends of the latter are formed notches 37 to receivethe head 8 of gu de pin 3:9 for the switch operat ing coil spring 40,Lugs all on the head of the 1 3 1 straddle the lever legs to hold thepin gainst lateral escape, while the outward ottet'ting of "the lowerends of the legs at 42 spaces the latter s-uflicient-ly far apart toclear the adjacent end of the coil spring In assembled position the head38 ofthc guide pin underlies the lower edge of the frame plate 29, andthe pin 39 works sub.-

5 stantia lly in the plane of the plate.

intermediate the bearing holes 36 and the notched ends of the lever legsare laterally extending bays 43 having arcuatc central apertures 4: toaccommodate the bearing pin 45 on which the witch yoke 46 rocks. Thisbearing pin has a reduced central portion 47 of a length substantiallycorresponding to the thickness of the plate 29,. To permit the pain tobe positioned in. the frame plate :29, the latter "has a bayonet opening-18 formed therein, the larger portion thereof having a diameterslightly exceeding the greatest diameter of the bearing pin. In thereduced portion of the opening 48 is a bearing notch 49 to receive thecentral reduced area 47 of the bearing pin. The latter is introducedinto position by passing it through the larger portion of the opening4+3 and Shifting it' laterally ir ntil the reduced area L7 drops intotlre'bearing notch 49. At its outer ends the bearing pin is shoulderedto form trunnions 50 upon'which the switch yoke rocks and by which it iscentered.

The switcl yol e is preferably struck from sheet metal angled to shape.Bayonet slot bearing notches 51 formed in the legs of the yoke may bereadily mounted on the bearing pin by passing the yoke upward from beeathe r me plate, with he yoke leg straddling the latter, and thenmanipulating the yoke to hook the bearings on the trunnion ends 50 ofthe pin. The web of the yoke is apertured at 52 to receive the guide pin39 and the constant pressure of the spring 40 against the web of theyoke not only maintains the latter in engagement with the trunnions 56,but also holds the reduced portion $7 of the pin seated in the notch 49in the switch frame.

The switch blades 53 are riveted to the legs of the switch yoke, butinsulated therefrom by suitable bushings 54. It will be noted that inassembled position, the trunnions ot' the bearing pin lie substantiallyin the longitudinal plane passing through the opposite ends of theswitch bar. It will also be noted that the axes of oscillation of theswitch lever and switch yoke are spaced only a slight distance apart,and that they are arranged close to the plane of the supporting bridge.As a. consequence the switch blades are held high on the frame, and itis thus possible to use a shallow switch body to house the contacts andswitch mechanism, without sacrificing current break ing capacit Thespacing of the yoke arms is such that in assembled position the innerends of the upper rivets, which play across the axis of the pin 35,prevent the escape of the latter from the holes 36 in the lever andframe.

At opposite sides of the pierced web of the yoke are ottset flanges 55which impinge against the downwardly extending stop legs 56 and 57 ofthe frame plate, and thus limit the throw of the switch yoke.

In order to insure a positive initiation of the openng and closingmovements of the switch blades, I pivot cam levers 58 and 59 at 60 and61 on the legs 56 and 57 of the switch frame. The upper ends 62 of thelovers lie in the path ot the. bays 43 of the legs of the operatinglever. The lower ends ot' the levers 5.8 and 59 are so positioned thatwhen their upper ends 62 are engaged by one or the other of the bays .otthe switch lever 31, they are forced into the area be twecn the stoplegs 56 and 57 of the frame. Consequently, when the switch lever isswung on its arc, one or the other of the bays l3 engages one or theother of the cam levers 58 or 59 and forces its lower end against one ofthe stop wings on the web of the yoke 46, thus positively forcing thelatter out of its stop position and initiating the throw of the switchyoke which is completed by the biasing action of the "toggle spring 4:0The latter may be made lighter than would be otherwise necessary inorder to overcome the frictional drag between the switch blades and theswitch contacts in the closed position of the switch.

Stop pins 63 lying in the path of the upper ends of the cam levers,limit the throw of posed between the pairs of contacts at oppo site endsofthe switch chamber. Tongues 67 formed at the opposite ends of thecover 64 may be passed under the bridge 11, the

tongues preferably being so located as toengage beneath the bridge atthe notches at opposite ends of the frame web 29. A

central aperture 68 in the cover accommo-. dates the thumb p1ece32,which passes there- I through to operating position above the face plate16.

The ope 'ation of the switch is readily understood. Assuming it to be inthe circuit closing position shown in Fig. 2, the upward movement of thethumb piece 39, swings the operating lever on its axis 35, and thusmoves the head 38 of the spring guide pin across the axis of oscillationof the switch bar yoke. As the head of the pinSS is moving toward theaxis of oscillation, the bay 43 on the switch lever enthe upper end 62of the cam lever 58 and swings the lower end into engagement with theflange 55 of the switchyoke, thus forcing the latter away from its'sto-pposition against the leg 56 of the frame. This positively frees theswitchblades from the stationary switch contacts and the spring 40immediately thereafter biases the switch bar yoke with a snap action toopencircuit position. The switchyoke is now halted by its impingementagainst the leg 57, while the operating lever is halted by theimpingement of the upper end 62 of the cam lever 58 against its stop pin63. The switch-closing movement involves the same movements, but in theopposite direction.

Various modifications in detail of 0011- struction which do not departfrom whatv i claim as my invention, will readily to those skilled in theart.

I claim l. [in electric switch comprising a chambered insulating body, asheet metal supporting bridge therefor, a single frame plate integralwith said bridge and offset at sub stantially right angles thereto, andextending into the chamber of said insulating body, and a switchmechanism mounted on said frame plate and comprising an oscillatingmember straddling the upper margin of the plate, and a secondoscillating member straddling the lower margin of the plate.

2. An electric switch comprising a chambered insulating body, a sheetmetal supporting bridge therefor, aframe plate integral with said bridgeand offset at substantially right angles thereto, and extending, intothe chamber of said insulating body, and a switch mechanism mounted onsaid frame plate, said mechanism comprising a switch operating leverhaving lugs straddling said frame plate. 3. An electric switchcomprising a chambered insulating body, a sheet metal sup porting bridgetherefor, a frame plate integral with said bridge and offset atsubstantially right angles thereto, and extending into the chamber ofsaid insulating body, and a switch mechanism mounted on said frameplate, said mechanism comprising a switch operating lever having lugsstraddling said frame plate, together with a switch bar yoke straddlingthe frame plate. at. In an electric switch, an insulating body, a bridgemounted thereon and comprising at its opposite ends supporting lugs andan intermediate frame plate integral therewith but lying in aplanesubstantially at right angles to said lugs and forming the soleconnecting bond therebetween, an insulating cover-arranged above saidbridge, and tongues integral with said cover engaged beneath thesupporting lugs of the bridge adjacent said offset frame plate.

5. An electric switch comprising a cup-- shaped insulating body,asupporting bridge spanning the open face of said body, and aninsulating cover resting on said body and having tongues freely engagedbeneath said bridge, said bridge being notched to receive said tongues.

6. In an electric switch, an apertured frame plate, a shouldered pinfreely entering said aperture and having a reduced area between itsshoulders substantially co-extensive with the thickness of said plateand lying in the plane of the latter in assembled position, a switchelement pivoted on said pin, and a spring engaging said member andserving to hold the pin in said aperture with its shoulders arranged onopposite sides of the plate. Y

7. In an electric switch, a frame plate, a switch member pivoted on saidframe plate on an axis'substantially at right angles to the latter, saidaxis comprising a pin extend.- ing. on opposite sides of the plate andhaving shoulders forming abutments engaging opposite faces of the plate,said plate being pierced to accommodate said pin at its point ofgreatest diameter.

8. In an electric switch, a frame plate having an aperture, and abearing notch of less diameter communicating with said aperture, incombination with a bearing pin having a portion of reduced diameterintermediate its ends, said pin being adapted to pass through saidaperture in the frame plate, and having its portion of reduced diameterresting in said bearing notch in the assembled position of the parts.

9. In an electric switch, a frai'ne' plate,

a pivot pin piercing said plate at substantially right angles, andshouldered: at its opposite ends, in combination with a switch memberpivoted on the reduced ends of said pin beyond said shoulders.

10. In an electric switch, a frame plate, a pivot pin freely seated insaid plate andv extending on opposite sides of the latter, asw'itchmember straddling the plate and journalled on said pivot pin, and springmeans engaging said switch member and stressing the latter in adirection to maintain said pivot pinseated in the plate.

ll. In an electric switch, a frame plate, a switch ope *ating leverstraddling said plate and journalled thereon, an oscillating switch yokealso straddling the plate and supported thereon, in combination with aswitch operating spring lying in the plane of the plate and operativelyinterposed between said lever and switch yoke.

12. In an electric switch, a frame plate, a cam lever pivoted thereon, aswitch operating bar straddling the plate and pivoted thereon, a togglespring operatively interposed between said lever and yoke, said camlever being engaged by said switch operating lever during itsoscillation, and moved by the latter into engagement with the switchyoke to initiate the oscillation of the letter.

13. In an electric switch, an insulating body, a bridge mounted thereonand comprising at its opposite ends supporting lugs and an intermediateframe plate integral therewith but lying in a plane substantially atright angles to said lugs and forming the sole connecting bondtherebetween.

14. In an electric switch, a cup-shaped sulating body, a bridge piecespanning the open face thereof, and having a frame plate integraltherewith and offset into the switch chamber, said bridge having areduced area between its opposite ends and the frame portion, togetherwith an insulating cover overlying said bridge and having tonguesengaging beneath the reduced area thereof to hold the cover in position.

15. In an electric switch, a frame plate having stop members at onemargin, a member pivoted on said plate and oscillat ing between saidstop members, a cam lever mounted on said plate and movable at one endinto thearea between said. stop members, in combination with a rock.lever piwoted on said plate and engaging said cam lever to forcesaid endthereof into the area specified and against the oscillating member, forthe purpose set forth.

16:. In an electric switch, an insulating body recessed to aflord aswitch chamber having an end wall provided with a relatively narrowchannel adjacent the sidewall of the chamber, an integral sheet metalwire terminal and switch contact supported on said base and comprising awire terminal plate mounted outside the switch chamber, a leg offsetfrom one of the side marginsof said plate substantially at right anglesto the latter and having a portion thereof arranged in said channel inthe end wall of the switch chamber, and a contact wing oif set from thelower portion of said leg and extending into the switch chamber, the legand contact wing being arranged in substantially parallel planes.

17. In an electric switch, a cup-shaped in sulating body, a depressedcorner ledge thereon, the end wall of the chamber of said insulatingbody having a narrow channel extending in the direction of the depth ofthe cup and leading to one side of the ledge, incombination with a wireterminal plate mounted on said ledge and having a leg offset from theside thereof and entering said channel, together with a contact wingextending from the end of said leg and onset therefrom into the switchchamber.

18. In an electric switch, a cup-shaped insulating body having in itsend wall a narrow channel extending in the direction of the depth of thecup and adapted to re ceive and confine at least a portion of a wireterminal leg, the portion of the end wall adjacent said channel forminga shout der adapted to supporta contact wing, in combination with acombined wire terminal and switch contact element formed from sheetmetal and comprising a down leg guided in said channel and a contactwing offset from said down leg and bearing against said shoulder forsupport.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

CARL Enio ANDERSON.

Certificate of Correction.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,532,855, grantedApril 7, 1925, upon the application of Carl Eric Anderson, of Stratford,Connecticut, for an improvement in Electric Switches, errors appear inthe printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page 2, line104-, for the misspelled Word openng read opening; page 3, line 2, forthe Word limits read limit; page at. line 26, claim 12, after the Wordthereon insert the Words and comma a switch yoke straddling the plateand pivoted Mei-e041,; and that the said Letters Patent should be readWith these corrections therein that the same may conform to the recordof the case in the Patent Oiiice.

Signed and sealed this 12th day of May, ALI). 1925.

[SEAL] KARL FENNING,

Acting Commissioner of Patents,

